Summit (topography)
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A topographical summit is a point on a surface which is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. Mathematically speaking, a summit is a local maximum in elevation. Image:Warning sign Tai Mo Shan 18-8-05.jpg
Colloquially, a summit generally refers to a mountain peak with some significant amount of topographic prominence. Usually this should be true within a surrounding of about 1 km or more. A pyramidal peak is an exaggerated form produced by ice erosion of a mountain top.
When referring to geographic features such as mountains on a topographic map, constant levels of terrain heights are shown by contour lines. The elevation of a mountain denotes the highest point or summit and is typically illustrated as a small circle on a topo map with the AMSL height shown in either metres or feet or both. If the peak is a trigonometric point (measured exactly) this map sign may be a small triangle.
See also: pyramidal peak, hill, maximum
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